When Life Gives You Lemons
by Just Another Word Shaker
Summary: Various pages from the book of the lives of Rudy Steiner and Liesel Meminger. Post-bombing, Rudy Lives AU. (Set in the universe of my story The Word Shaker.)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, dear ones! Thanks to your wonderful feedback, I've decided to start a series of oneshots; they won't be in any chronological order, but will just be posted whenever I happen to write them. (Some of these may be written in Zusak's style, with Death narrating and being his epic self, but this one isn't.) I'll happily take any requests for these (you can hop over to my profile to see what I won't write), and speaking of requests, this one was requested by the lovely Bee. Hope you enjoy it, dear! :)**

**Disclaimer: I own a little Christmas tree that stays up in my room year-round, but I don't own The Book Thief.**

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**Jumping to Conclusions**

_April 1947_

The afternoon sun's golden rays illuminated the profiles of the two young people as they walked down Munich Street in a companionable silence. One, the young woman, was pushing a book-filled cart with a contented smile on her face. She moved with a purpose, for she was a girl on a mission and, although she was fully enjoying the warmth of a spring afternoon, she was focused on the task at hand.

The other, the young man, was busying himself with trying to keep up with her eager pace, and with trying to catch her attention without saying her name outright. (The latter really wasn't working.) However, he wasn't the type of person to enjoy lengthy silences, so it wasn't long before he groaned in frustration and cried, "Fine, you win! _Saumensch_."

A satisfied grin played on his companion's face. "Another loss for you, Steiner. Pity."

He elbowed her in the side with a roll of his blue eyes. "Oh, shut up. It's not my fault it's impossible to _not_ talk to you."

Her dangerously dark eyes gleamed mischievously. "You'd think that after five months of losing you'd eventually give up."

"Jesse Owens doesn't give up." He stuck out his chest in exaggerated pride.

"Perhaps not, but he does know when he's beaten," she smirked.

He pretended to look affronted. "You're the worst best friend ever."

She rolled her eyes at his dramatics. "Quit using oxymorons."

He arched an eyebrow. "What did you just call me?"

A giggle escaped her. "Someone hasn't been paying attention in school."

"Well, it gets kind of hard when you're sitting in front of me and I can smell your hair."

She gave him a look that said he was utterly insane. "You smell my _hair_?"

"Not on purpose!" he scoffed.

"Anyway…" She blinked a few times, trying in vain to remember what they'd been talking about, then turned her gaze to the meadow before them. "Oh, look at how many showed up today! A much better crowd than last week."

Her companion turned to see a rather picturesque scene of men of various ages, ranks, and injuries scattered about the grassy field. Some stood in little clusters, quietly conversing, while others languished on the lawn, grateful for the chance to sit and soak up the sunshine. Each man had his own unique story, but they were all united by one thing: their survival of what was quickly becoming known as the second Great War, World War II.

Several of them glanced up at the sound of the rattling cart approaching them, and smiles appeared on their worn faces as they recognized the "book girl", as they called her. They waved at her, and she greeted them in kind with a sweet smile. They included their friendly greeting to encompass the "book girl's friend" who had been accompanying her each time over the past few months. The friend who, they well knew, had almost been among them in the meadow.

Liesel pushed the cart onto the soft grass, smiling at the clusters of soldiers with a cheerful, "You're in luck; I've got plenty of good ones today."

"Did you get that Tolkien book like I asked?" called a voice, raspy from smoke inhalation, from the back of the crowd. A boy- for he couldn't be older than she- grinned at her in anticipation, forgetting about his amputated leg for a blessed moment.

She nodded, reaching into the cart and rummaging around for a bit before producing a thick, hardly-used volume. "Of course. Here it is: _The Hobbit_. You'll enjoy it- my friend Max said it was wonderful, though it takes quite awhile to finish."

"Good," the boy-soldier exclaimed as she walked over and placed the book in his eager hands. "I need something to do."

She interpreted this to mean _I need an escape_, and sympathy welled up within her, though she knew these soldiers didn't want her pity. She shoved the tender feeling back into the wellspring of her heart and nodded at the boy before beginning her usual rounds. Rudy had already started, and she caught sight of him in amiable conversation with a group of standing young men, laughing at some joke amongst themselves. A small smile played on her face; she was grateful to have a partner in her little missions. Talking with so many people- especially men- could get rather unnerving sometimes, but Rudy, being as social as he was, never tired of it. Oftentimes Liesel ended up practically dragging him away from the meadow at the end of the day.

She stepped over gangly, broken bodies and around wheelchairs and canes, politely asking war-worn faces what genre they'd be interested in. She was so fully engrossed in her mission that she neglected to notice a new face amongst the soldiers, a face with keen ice-blue eyes that stayed firmly locked on her. Rudy, however, noticed it instantly and stiffened, abruptly breaking away from his friends. He was by the cart in seconds, hefting up an armful of books and making sure to distribute them _very close_ to where Liesel was.

Eventually, as much as Rudy hoped and prayed otherwise, the inevitable happened: Liesel pushed the half-filled cart over to the newcomer with a polite smile. "Good afternoon. I'm glad you came."

She turned back to the cart, but he kept his gaze on her. "I hope you don't find me too forward, but you look like a regular Madonna, _fraulein_." A few feet to their left, Rudy frowned and moved a little closer to them, protectively, as he tried valiantly to focus on his own tasks.

Usually, such a smooth statement would have unnerved her, as she was always rather uncomfortable when complimented by anyone, but as it was she was too intently focused on her books to fully comprehend the man's words. "Which genre are you interested in today?"

The handsome young soldier gave her a significant glance. "How about a romance?" Rudy scowled and inconspicuously moved even closer. He was gripping the books in his hands so tightly that his knuckles were white.

Liesel laughed a bit, still shifting through the cart. "There's one that doesn't get requested too often by soldiers."

"Well, I am by definition a lover of romance. You see, I happen to be something of a poet myself." He ran a hand through his German-blonde locks and smiled shyly in a pretense of humility.

"Are you now?" She selected a volume of sonnets. "Would Shakespeare suit you, then?"

"I suppose. The Bard's alright." He didn't even glance at the book she handed him; he was much too preoccupied with staring fixedly up at her.

She shrugged and glanced at him with a tiny grin playing about her face. "I don't know; I find him to be an excellent playwright. He had a way with words…"

" 'Juliet is the sun'…" His grin grew even bigger, brightening his tanned face. "A perfect description of you- especially with your golden waterfall of hair, ablaze in the afternoon sun like that." A little ways to their left, there was a loud thump as a pile of books was abruptly deposited onto the ground, and then the quiet patter of swiftly retreating footfalls. Neither one paid the noises any mind; the soldier had eyes only for the girl, and the girl herself was caught in a state of realization.

For even Liesel couldn't ignore such a blatant flirtation, and her head snapped up in surprise as her cheeks turned a rosy red. "Um…" She wracked her brain frantically for some remotely polite response, but came up empty. "Are… are you drunk?" she blurted out, and then cringed. _Smooth, Meminger. Way to be nice to the new guy._

"Ah, indeed I am, _fraulein_." The soldier grinned roguishly. "Drunk with the sweet nectar of love, that is."

"Right." Her chocolate eyes narrowed; if he'd known her at all, he would have realized that this did not bode well for him. "Very logical, considering you know literally nothing about me."

"Nothing but that you're the most beautiful creature to walk this earth!"

She tried not to grimace. "Evidently you've got a lot to learn about love. It's not at all based on physical appearances." Her resolve strengthening, she stiffened and sent him a cordial smile. "And now since you've got your book, I must be on my way. It was nice to meet you, and you are welcome to come back at any time. Have a nice day." And with that, she was off, head held high as she marched away with the book cart.

"Wait!"

Against her better judgment, she turned around. "Yes?"

"Am I doomed to never know the name of this fair maiden?" The soldier sent her a hopeful smirk.

She lifted her chin and smirked right back, and all she said was, "All you need to know is that I'm the book girl," before turning back around and walking away. Several of the other men who'd been observing their conversation let out approving chuckles, and one of the flirtatious soldier's friends elbowed him with a raucous laugh. He'd been calmly upended by the girl with the books, and they wouldn't let him live it down.

Under normal circumstances, Liesel and Rudy would stay among the soldiers well into the evening, but she caught sight of his dejected form sitting on the edge of the street and decided it would be best to take her leave. After making sure each soldier who wanted a book had one in his hands, she bid them all a cheery goodbye, with her usual promise of returning the next Saturday.

She pushed the cart across the meadow and stopped beside her best friend, who looked up at her dully. She sighed in mild exasperation. "Well, are you coming, _Saukerl_, or do I have to pick you up and carry you?"

He didn't even make any jokes about wanting her to carry him, just got to his feet and silently nodded for her to continue walking. They fell into step together as they headed back the way they came, blending in to the bustle of people closing up shop for the day up and down Munich Street. Liesel hummed softly as she closed her eyes and basked in the warmth of the sunshine. As the minutes went by, her happiness waned as she noticed the overwhelming silence between them.

Glancing at her stone-faced companion, she frowned and broached the question with delicacy: "What's wrong with you, _Saukerl_?"

His somber mood kept his blue eyes- dark like the sky during a raging thunderstorm- locked firmly on the ground. "Nothing."

Suddenly, a small hand gripped his shoulder and spun him around with surprising force, and he was looking into a pair of narrowed chocolate eyes- eyes that, normally, he would have loved nothing more than to lose himself in. Even now, he was precariously close to getting lost in their sparkling, fiery depths… until her words took hold of his attention. "Rudy, tell me, please. What happened back there?"

He shrugged out of her grasp, trying not to wince at the hurt that flashed through her eyes. "I… forget it. It's nothing."

She rolled her eyes with an unladylike snort, crossing her arms. "Obviously it's something, or else you wouldn't be acting so out-of-character right now. C'mon, Rudy, _I'm_ supposed to be the one with trust issues." Her tone softened with her next words. "You know you can tell me anything. What's got you so troubled?"

Rudy turned away, scratching at the back of his ear as if unsure what to say- a nervous tick of his. "Well… it's…" He sighed in resignation. "That soldier… the one you were talking to. The _poet_." He said the last part a little too sharply.

She arched an eyebrow in surprise. "What about him?"

"He's such a flirt, Liesel!" he blurted out, finally venting his frustration.

"He was a newcomer," she tried to defend the soldier. "Just a little brazen, that's all."

"A _little_?" His anger was growing from a quietly glowing ember to a spark, which would lead up to an explosive inferno if it wasn't snuffed in time. "Liesel!"

She was beginning to get rather irritated. "He didn't know about us…"

The fire grew exponentially. "Well, he should have known! I think it was fairly obvious!" Before he could stop himself he added, in the heat of his emotions, "And if I didn't know any better, I'd say you sure weren't doing anything to discourage him!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he'd gone too far, for her eyes widened and she took a step back as if she'd been slapped. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. Silence prevailed for an uncomfortable amount of time before she was able to let out a dangerously quiet, "How dare you."

Her answer threw him off, but before he could formulate a response she was inches away from his face, dark eyes blazing. "How _dare_ you! You honestly think I'd encourage another man's attentions? Have you really so little faith in me?"

Rudy took a step back, but he wasn't backing down. "Why not? He's a perfect picture of what German men are supposed to look like, he actually got to fight for his country, and he's a poet- and I know how much you love fancy words! He's obviously _far_ superior to me; why wouldn't you want him?"

"Because I love _you_, _dummkopf_!" she spat, infuriated. Her hands clenched into fists and Rudy could have sworn she was going to pummel him then and there. Instead, she let out a frustrated growl and whirled around to the cart, gripping the wooden handle tightly and shoving it forward. She began to march away, not even glancing back to see if he was following her; he had to run to catch up with her quick, angry strides.

"What you neglected to notice," she told him frostily, "was that I most certainly did _not_ encourage any of his advances; quite the opposite, actually. He was ridiculously shallow and pompous, and I noticed that pretty quickly." She stopped abruptly and whirled around once again, glaring at him. "It might also interest you to know that I don't _care_ about any of those things you mentioned. So what if he's handsome? You're my lemon-haired boy, and I wouldn't have you any other way because I happen to think that you're an extremely attractive human being- _ja_, I admitted it. Sure, he went to the war, but how on earth does that make him superior to you? You and your family stood up for what you believed in at a time when very few people dared to do so, and I admire that more than if you were to fight in a thousand wars. And what is all this nonsense about his being a poet? Quite frankly, his words were saccharine sweet; it wasn't even _good_ poetry. Not that I need 'fancy words', because I most certainly do _not_. Don't you get it, Rudy?"

Her fury melted away as she stepped away from the cart and closer to him. She gazed up into his eyes, studying him. "I don't _want_ any of that. I don't want eloquence or riches or an Adonis-like man. Just _you_."

"But… but I'm not good enough." The confession spilled out of him before he could try and stop it.

Her laugh was golden, and it startled him. "Rudy, is _that_ what this is all about? I thought for a moment you really did think I was being unfaithful." Her expression grew tender. "You are good enough, Rudy Steiner. Don't think for a moment that you aren't. You're the most wonderful person I know, and I'm so very lucky to be yours." She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "Now, no more of that nonsense about anyone being 'superior' to you, alright? You'll never have to fear losing me to another. I promise."

"Good. I promise you the same thing." He grinned in relief, and a bit of his usual brightness returned, for Rudy Steiner was the sun, and could never be eclipsed for too long.

They resumed their little journey, only this time the silence was companionable rather than awkward. A sly little smirk found its way to Liesel's face as she thought for a moment. "I can't believe it."

"Believe what?" Rudy had somehow managed to procure a piece of bread- stolen, of course, but Liesel was not about to get into _that_ argument again- and was cheerfully devouring it.

Instead, she opted for smirking even more and saying, in a sing-song voice, "I actually made the great Rudy Steiner _jealous_."

He paused in the middle of chewing a particularly large bite. "What? No you didn't!"

"Oh, don't even lie to me, Steiner." Her grin was huge and triumphant. "You were completely jealous!"

"Was not!" he cried with his mouth full.

She threw him an unimpressed look. "And to think you're actually considered a legal adult."

He grinned and swallowed before replying. "Fine, maybe I was _slightly_ jealous."

"Enough to accuse me of taking a liking to that other guy?"

Rudy's expression turned sheepish. "Yeah, about that… I got a little out of hand there. Sorry."

Liesel smiled sweetly. "It's fine; I understand where you were coming from. Like I said, you'll never lose me. I suppose I should take that as a compliment… it's rather nice to know I _can_ make you jealous." She snorted. "Y'know, I actually asked the guy if he was drunk, he was talking so nonsensically…"

Rudy began to laugh, nearly choking on his bread as he did so. "You didn't!"

"But I did!" Her laughter blended with his in a delightful harmony. "If he shows up again, you have my full permission to handle him yourself."

"In which case he may or may not walk away with a broken nose."

"He might need it to counteract his arrogance," she shot back.

The couple's lighthearted banter continued as they walked back up Munich Street, intending to go to the tailor's shop where Alex Steiner awaited their return. Both of them felt that- for now, at least- their world was right again.

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**Thank you for reading, and if you'd like to see more feel free to drop a review! Again, requests are more than welcome. I love hearing from you. :) Have a delightful week! (IT'S ALMOST SUMMER GUYS. :D)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! I have some bad news: I'm going to delete my account soon. Well, I may leave it up for awhile, but this is the last thing I'm writing. I've loved being able to share these little breathings of my heart with you all, and I've loved reading your sweet and encouraging reviews- seriously, you all are fantastic people! But unfortunately, I feel as if Fanfiction has become a distraction from my relationship with the Lord, and He must come first in my life. I'm sorry guys! BUT, I'm uploading this as a little peace offering- I'm not too happy with it, but who knows? You might like it. :)**

**This proposal is based on a real-life story, and it was just too bizarre and hilarious to pass up... I thought it'd fit Rudy and Liesel perfectly. xD This answers requests from the lovely pagesfromthebasement1943 and Just A Shipper- Taormina, I do love your suggestions, so I tried to give Alex a little cameo... ^-^**

**(To CelticDreamer007: You, my friend, are an awesome person, and my PM inbox is still open. I'm more than happy to keep brainstorming if you want! Thank you for the delightfully rambly PMs and the fellow Rudy/Celtic Woman/Skillet fangirling. :D)****...Is anyone still reading this? If so, you're epic, and thank you again! Enjoy!**

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A Proposal Gone Awry

_June 1950_

Max Vandenberg stood patiently on the bank of the Amper River, speaking softly to the five-month-old boy in his arms as he waited for the person he was supposed to meet with. He squinted into the blinding midmorning sun and shifted the baby into a more comfortable position. "It's a good thing I convinced your Mama to let me take you with me," he informed his son solemnly. "She needs a break." The boy let out a happy coo in response, grabbing at his father's raven hair with his chubby little fingers. Max chuckled and was about to say something else when he caught sight of the person he was waiting for.

The first thing Max noticed was that the lemon-haired young man looked uncharacteristically nervous as he walked towards them. _But why would he be nervous about talking to me? We've been friends for three years now; I thought he was used to me._ Trying to put the younger man at ease, Max smiled and lifted a hand in a casual wave. "Good morning, Rudy. How have you been? It's been awhile since we've seen each other."

The younger man's frame relaxed visibly as he stepped onto the riverbank beside them, but his eyes were still wide with fear. "Pretty good. Busy with work… and I've been trying to find my own job. Tailoring isn't for me; Papa's learned to accept it."

Max's smile grew. "I was wondering when you were going to realize that tailoring doesn't suit your personality at all."

"_Ja_, it's too dull for me." He chuckled, but his smile quickly faded away. "That's not what I wanted to talk to you about though." He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another.

The Jewish man frowned. "Is everything alright?"

Rudy stared out into the shimmering river and shoved his hands into his pockets. He refused to meet his friend's gaze. "Yeah… well… maybe. It depends."

Max gently removed his son's fingers from his hair; he really didn't want to go prematurely bald. "Depends on what? You're not normally this cryptic."

He raked a hand through his lemon-colored hair before stiffening and taking a deep breath. "I was wondering if… if you wouldn't mind… that is, not that I think you _would_ mind… I mean, I know we're still young but I've been saving up a lot of money and…"

Max couldn't help but laugh at his stammering. "Rudy, _what_ are you talking about?"

"I-want-to-marry-Liesel-because-I-love-her-and-since-her-papa-is-dead-would-you-give-us-your-blessing-please?" Rudy blurted out in a string of nearly incoherent words.

Thankfully, Max Vandenberg was very adept at understanding things, and he chuckled in amusement. "Yes."

"And I promise that I'll treat her right and- wait, what?"

The corners of the Jewish man's mouth quirked up in a grin. "I said yes. You have my blessing."

"Really?" The lemon-haired man's blue eyes lit up as a relieved grin played on his face. "Thanks, Max!"

"I know I don't have to tell you to be good to her, for I've already seen evidence of your trustworthiness and love quite clearly in the past three years." His expression darkened. "However, as is the duty of an older brother, I will tell you that if you hurt her, I'll have your head on a platter."

Rudy blinked at the morbidity of the usually placid Jewish man's statement, but nodded. "Duly noted."

"Good." Max's seriousness vanished, and he smiled again, back to his normal self. "Now that that's over with, tell me: how are you going to go about proposing?" For he knew that this was Rudy Steiner, the boy who had once decided to paint himself black and defeat the world; surely he had some inkling of a creative way to propose to his book thief.

"I'm glad you asked," Rudy exclaimed as they began to walk alongside the riverbank, and baby Erik cooed happily from his father's arms. "I want your opinion on this little song I came up with…"

* * *

It was going to be so perfect.

He'd planned it all out a week in advance: on Saturday evening, he'd take her on top of the Amper Bridge, surprise her with his newly-honed guitar skills and the song he'd written for her (with a little help from Max), and then give a heartfelt and eloquent proposal against the backdrop of the setting sun. His father, Max, and Max's wife Enna had all been a huge help in ensuring the success of this romantic notion, and in the days leading up to the momentous event, everything was working in Rudy's favor.

Everything, that is, except for Liesel herself.

The trouble started the day before the set proposal date, a seemingly innocent Friday evening spent leisurely in the Steiners' apartment. Alex was in the kitchen area setting out food for dinner, an exhausted Liesel was curled up in a chair in the front room trying to write before she became too tired to do anything constructive, and Rudy himself sat on the sofa across from her, listening absentmindedly to the radio. The three of them had had a busy week at their various jobs, with hardly any rest, and as a result they weren't in the best of moods- a recipe for disaster, as it would seem.

The evening would have passed by tranquilly if Liesel hadn't asked the question- but she did ask the question. She spoke it so calmly, almost absently, that it was really a wonder that it had the effect it did. At first there was only the noise of quiet music on the radio- and then the bomb was dropped: "Rudy, why haven't you proposed to me yet?"

In that moment, Rudy Steiner knew he was in trouble. His eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as he stared at his love in horror. She carried on with her writing as if nothing had happened- as if she hadn't just sent his world crumbling to pieces. He was so startled that all he could get out was a strangled, "What?"

"I'm just saying…" Her eyes never left the page she was scribbling on, and she yawned a bit. "You've been talking about marrying me for years, joking and otherwise, and we _are_ twenty-one now… So why haven't you proposed? I thought you would have by now."

No. This wasn't happening. She wasn't doing this. Not now! Rudy's heart hammered against his chest as he tried to wrap his mind around what had just occurred.

Liesel finally glanced up when he didn't respond, her brow furrowing in confusion at his silence. "Well?"

Frustration overtook him and he leapt to his feet, hardly able to think rationally. Without a word he stormed into his bedroom and yanked open the top drawer of his wooden dresser. He fished out a tiny blue velvet box and gripped it tightly as he moved back to the living room.

Liesel had cast her notebook aside and was standing now, dark eyes filled with worry. "Rudy?"

"You want me to propose? Fine." Rudy chucked the box at her; thankfully her quick reflexes came into play and she caught it, blinking in surprise. "_Marry me_!" he roared, turning and stalking outside, slamming the door behind him.

The instant he stepped out into the streets, guilt crept in. Had he really just done that? Had he actually proposed to her out of sheer anger? He wanted to laugh, cry, scream, and punch something simultaneously, so he settled with doing what he always did under dire circumstances: he broke into a sprint. Down Munich Street he ran, past the chattering people and the lit-up stores. He noticed none of it, for his inner turmoil was so great that he hardly saw what was before him… which resulted in his very nearly barreling into a startled Enna Vandenberg.

She jumped back in surprise and dropped the bag she had been carrying, clutching baby Erik to her chest protectively, but relaxed when she realized who it was. She gave him an irritated look before retrieving her purchases, rather miffed at being shocked like that. "Rudy, what on earth are you…" Her voice trailed off as she took in his frenzied state; she was an intelligent and compassionate woman, very similar to her husband in regards to having the ability to read people. Her expression softened as she continued. "What's the matter?"

He raked a hand through his messy blonde locks, too overcome to choke out an answer. Enna was about to press for more when Max stepped out of the nearby bakery carrying a bag filled with bread. Rudy's natural curiosity was piqued enough for him to ask, albeit distractedly, "Why are you guys out shopping so late?"

The couple exchanged a glance, and it was Enna who responded. "Since we both have work and other duties during the day, we find it more convenient to get what we need in the evenings, when we can go together. But that doesn't matter now- you're obviously distressed. What on earth happened?"

"I proposed; that's what happened!" Rudy threw up his hands in exasperation.

Enna's silvery-blue eyes betrayed her utter confusion. "How is that a bad thing?"

But Max knew, and his jaw dropped. "Oh, Rudy, you didn't…"

His wife sent a furtive glance between the two of them. "You're in on it, too? What are you not telling me? Rudy, what did you _do_? And where, if you just proposed to her, is Liesel?" Her voice rose with each question she flung at him. She had known he was to propose, of course, but hadn't been given all of the details- something both men were starting to regret now, as her frenzied questions were beginning to attract the attention of passersby.

Rudy groaned and shut his eyes tightly, wanting nothing more than to escape his reality for a bit. "She asked me why I hadn't proposed yet, and… I panicked, Max! It was a trick question; was there even an answer that _wouldn't_ make her mad at me? So I sort of got mad and threw the box at her-" Max winced "-and yelled, 'Marry me!' and left. She's still at home with Papa as far as I know."

The Jewish man's eyes, which were normally filled with the utmost kindness, narrowed in indignation. "Rudy, that was _stupid_. Just plain idiotic! I can't believe you did that!"

Enna was gaping at the lemon-haired young man. "You yell-proposed to her?! Oh, you'll be lucky if she even speaks to you after pulling a stunt like that!"

He groaned and put his head in his hands. "Don't remind me."

"Well…" Max arched a dark eyebrow at him. "What are you going to do to remedy this situation?"

His head rose, and his eyes widened. "You- you're not going to lecture me?"

The Jewish man snorted and folded his arms. "As much as I would love to do exactly that, no. Time is of the essence here, and what's most important at the moment is salvaging your relationship with Liesel. You had better hope she wasn't cross or exhausted to begin with, else it'll be a much more difficult feat to accomplish."

Rudy groaned again. "I am so dead."

* * *

_Three minutes earlier, in the Steiners' apartment…_

After the front door slammed and the apartment ceased to shake, Alex Steiner poked his head into the front room to see the book thief standing forlornly in the middle of the room, head bent as she stared numbly at the little blue box in her hands. He tried to be tactful, but there was really no other way to phrase the question than to ask incredulously, "What the heck was _that_?" He had heard the entire thing through the thin walls of the apartment, of course, but he wanted to ensure that he hadn't misinterpreted things. He had a sinking feeling that he hadn't.

A long moment passed with uncomfortable silence permeating the room; then Liesel looked up at him with unseeing eyes and spoke in a monotone. "I think… I think Rudy just proposed to me."

Alex shook his head with a grimace. "The boy's a _dummkopf_. He's my son, and he's a good boy, and I love him, but he's a _dummkopf_. I'm sorry, Liesel."

"No…" She looked chagrined. "It was somewhat my fault. I was wondering why he hadn't proposed yet, so I asked him on impulse, and… apparently that wasn't the best idea."

"Well, you see, he _had_ been planning something… but of course that was no reason for him to react as he did. He acted on impulse as well, and now he'll have to suffer whatever consequences there may be." He nodded resignedly at the little velvet box. "It's up to you now, Liesel. The ring's in your hands; what are you going to do with it?"

Her eyes grew focused, determined, as she clutched the box tighter. Her spark returned in full force. "I'm going to go find him and respond to his proposal." And with that, she was gone.

Alex could only sigh and pray that the two of them hadn't just completely ruined their relationship. _Oh, Barbara,_ he silently mused as he headed back to the kitchen area, _If only you were here… you would have calmed them both down and fixed this mess, something I should've done but didn't. I miss you so much, my love…_

* * *

The three co-conspirators were still standing in front of the bakery, talking in hushed whispers while Enna rocked her wailing son back and forth and whispered soothing mantras in an effort to pacify him, when a familiar voice rang out from behind them. "_Rudolph Steiner_!"

Max let out a low whistle as they all simultaneously turned to face the speaker, who stormed towards them with eyes ablaze. "I don't think I've ever heard her use your full name."

"She hasn't," was all a white-faced Rudy could say before he was accosted by an angry book thief. She stood before him, small but formidable with her head lifted high and hands planted firmly on her hips. He gulped and stammered out, "Um, hi, Liesel, I-"

She glowered at him. "You didn't even stay long enough to hear my answer, you _Saukerl_!"

Max put a hand on his wife's shoulder, and they had a quick conversation with their eyes- _Let's leave them be- Do we have to, Max? It's just getting interesting!- Yes, dear, let's go. Don't worry, they'll be fine-_ before quietly slipping away. Erik watched them curiously over his mother's shoulder as he was carried off.

He would deny it until the day he died, but in that moment Rudy Steiner was afraid of Liesel Meminger. _I've done it. I've ruined everything,_ was all he could think. _My stupid temper! There's no way anyone- even Liesel- would accept a proposal like __**that.**_

"…_Ja_." She folded her arms, still looking as if she wanted to throttle him.

It took him a minute to process what she'd said. "Wait, what?"

She arched an eyebrow, resisting the urge to burst into laughter at the utter confusion etched on his face. She had to remind herself that she was still angry with him. "_Ja_, you _dummkopf_, I'll marry you."

When he did nothing but stare at her blankly in response, her bravado faltered. "I… I thought you'd be happier than this," she confessed uneasily.

"_Nein_, I'm happy, it's just…" He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets, looking much like a schoolboy who'd just received a hiding. "It wasn't supposed to happen like that."

Her mouth curled up in an amused little smirk. "I figured as much."

"Liesel…" His striking blue eyes regarded her imploringly. "I am _so_ sorry. I was going to propose soon, but I didn't mean to completely botch it like that. You deserve so much more than a rage-proposal."

Her expression grew tender as she fingered the blue velvet box. "But I said yes anyway, didn't I?"

He ran a hand through his lemon-esque hair and shook his head in disbelief. "You amaze me, Liesel Meminger."

She grinned impishly. "Good. I should hate to be ordinary."

His eyes regained their shine. "_Ich liebe dich_."

"I love you too, Rudy." She paused, a bit confused. "Wait, so does this mean we're actually engaged?"

A look of determination crossed his face. "_Nein_. Not yet. I didn't plan out this elaborate thing for you only to not have it done! …If that makes any sense. Oh, just hand over that ring box, will you?"

She did so, albeit reluctantly. "I didn't even get to look at the ring!"

"Oh, you will, don't you worry." He sent her a grin as he said casually, "Tomorrow."

"_Tomorrow_?" she echoed indignantly. "You _Saukerl_!" She swatted at his arm.

He laughed out of sheer relief as he pocketed the ring box. His world was right again. "Patience, my dear _Saumensch_. Do you want a proper proposal or not?"

She rolled her eyes but didn't protest. "Fine. But it better be good, Steiner." Her dark eyes twinkled.

"It will be. I promise," he grinned. "Now we'd better go home and alleviate Papa's fears."

Her eyes widened and a hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, your poor Papa- I didn't tell him I was accepting you…" She was trying not to giggle. "He probably thinks I've done something drastic."

He chuckled. "You did look like you wanted to strangle me back there."

"And what if I did?" There was a mischievous glint in her eyes, one that Rudy adored.

As was their usual fashion, they fell into a cheerful conversation, full of teasing and name-calling (Liesel preferred the term _insults of endearment_), and somewhere between the bakery and the Steiners' apartment her hand found its way into his. Although they weren't technically engaged yet, both hearts were filled with the utmost contentment.

Many would have called their relationship unconventional, from its beginning with a snowball in the face, to the assumptions that had torn them apart after Himmel was bombed, to an unexpected but joyous reunion, and now to this proposal gone awry. Woven throughout all of these events was much love, teasing, and laughter, quite a bit of thievery (though both were proud to say they were making an honest living now), and the occasional grief-filled day when one desperately needed to cry on the other's shoulder.

Yes, sometimes it was messy. Sometimes it was broken. They'd both lost too much for it to be otherwise. But it was always beautiful. For them, love was a constant that would never change.

And in all honesty, they wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

**Thank you so much for reading! (And please don't hate me for that proposal... I just couldn't resist. xD)**

**You all have made my time on this site such a wonderful experience, so thank you again. :) Thank you for every single favorite, follow, and review- they brighten my day so.**

**I may return someday, but if I don't... you have all been awesome, and God bless!**

**Love, Just Another Word Shaker**


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